Power-transmission device.



No. 888,600. PATENTED DEC. 18, 1906. H. E. WHITE.

POWER TRANSMISSION DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.22. 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOR No. 838,600. I PATENTED DEG. 18., 1906.

H. E. WHITE.

POWER TRANSMISSION DEVICE.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 22. 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT Prion.

HARLAND E. WHITE, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FREDERICKL. WOODBRIDGE, OF NEWVARK, OHIO.

POWER-TRANSMISSION DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 18, 1906.

Application filed January 22,1906. Serial No. 297,152.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARLAND E. WVHITE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Golumbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Power-TransmissionDevices, of which the following is a specification.

My inventon relates to new and useful improvement in power-transmissiondevices.

The object of the invention is to provide a transmission in which theuse of gears is obviated, thus producing a device which in its operationis practically noiseless and the liability of stripping teeth, therebythrowing the device out of operative condition, is overcome.

Still another feature resides in' regulating means whereby thetransmission of power may be controlled.

Finally, the object of the invention is to provide a device of thecharacter described that will be strong, durable, and eflicient, simpleof construction, and not liable to get out of working order.

I/Vith the above and other obj eots in view the invention consists ofthe novel details of construction and operation, a preferable embodimentof which is described in the specification and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a plan view of my improvedtransmission device. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal vertical sectional view taken on the line as w of Fig. 1.Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line y 1] ofFig. and Fig. 5 is a detail horizontal sectional view taken on the linea a of Fig. 2, showing one of the reversing-yokes and its parts.

In the drawings the numeral 1 designates an open rectangular frame. Onone side of the frame and near the center thereof I arrange asprocket-wheel 2, which is suitably connected with an engine or othersource of power generation. This sprocket is fixed upon a shaft 3 andthe latter mounted in a suitable bearing 4, secured upon the frame. Theinner end of the bearing terminates substantially flush with the innerside of the frame, -so as to permit a disk 5, made fast to the shaft 8,to revolve in close proximity to the frame. This disk is provided with awrist-pin 6, set to one side of its center and pivotally connected tothe end of an oflset link 7, the latter being best shown in Figs. 1 and2. At its opposite end the link has pivotal engagement with a pin 8,projecting from the side of a swinging frame 9. This frame at itscentral portion is provided with trunnions 10, which are mounted insuitable bearings 11, supported on the upper side of the frame on theopposite side of its center from the bearing 4. The link 7 passes overand beyond one of the trunnions 10, so that it has connection with theswinging frame beyond the center of the latter with respect to the disk5 and the wrist-pin 6. It will thus be apparent that motion beingtransmitted to the disk 5 by way of the sprocket 2 and the shaft 3 thewrist-pin will swing or rock the frame 9 on its trunnions 10 through theagency of the link 7 and the pin 8.

The frame 9 is disposed at an angle to the frame 1 and has its endadjacent the disk 5 lowermost, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3.Centrally and longitudinally of the frame 9 a quick-screw 12 is disposedand while free to turn is held against longitudinal movement. One end ofthe screw 13 projects beyond the upper end of the frame 9 to affordconnection with a suitable controlling means. 5 (Not shown.) On thescrew and within the frame a block-nut 14 is disposed. The threads ofthe screw 12 have considerable pitch, and thus by giving a slightrotation to the screw the block is caused to quickly travel thereon. Theblock has a length considerably shorter than the width of the openportion of the frame, so as to receive on each side links 15, the latterfitting snugly between the ends of the block and the frame and havingpivotal connection with trunnions 16, projecting from the block andshown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The links 15 are bent upwardly and extended one upward and the otherdownward, as indicated in Fig. 2. At their free ends they are pivotallyconnected in the bifurcated portion of clutch-arms 17. The clutch-armsare sep arated by and stand on each side of a friction disk or wheel 20,fixed upon a shaft 18, mounted in bearings 19 and adapted to turn orrevolve the same. These clutch arms standing on opposite sides of thewheel 20 and one projecting upwardly and the other downwardly areprovided with horizontally ICC direction as before.

and transversely extending cylindrical bars 21 and pivotstuds 25. Thebars and studs project in opposite directions and are supported at theirfree ends by arms 22, mounted upon the shaft 18. These bars arepreferably formed integral with the clutch-arms and provided with aflattened portion. 23, adjacent the periphery of the wheel 20, and it isto be noted that the said flattened portions or surfaces are inclined,so as to bring one edge into contact with the periphery of the wheel andalso with relation to Fig. 3, that the flat portion 23 of the upper barhas its right-hand edge in engagement with the periphery of the wheel,while the lower bar has its left-hand edge in engagement with saidperiphery. In this way when the lower end of the frame 9 is swungdownward the clutch-arms 17 will be swung toward the frame by the links15 and the edge of the upper flat portion 23 caused to bite in theperiphery of the wheel 20 and turn the same in the direction in whichthe clutcharms are swung. Owing to the disposition of the edge of thelower flat portion, the same will merely slide over the periphery of thewheel without imparting motion thereto. During this movement the disk 5has completed a half-revolution and swung the frame 9 to its lowermostposition. During the next half-revolution of the disk 5 the frame 9 willbe swung upward and the clutch-arms 17 swung back to theirstarting-points. During this backward movement the flat portion 23 ofthe upper bar will slide over the periphery of the disk, while the edgeof the flat portion of the lower bar will bite in the periphery andimpart motion to the wheel in the same A practically continuousrevolution is thus imparted to the wheel 20 and the shaft 18, and themotion thus imparted is transmitted to a sprocket 24, mounted on the endof the shaft 18. This sprocket may be suitably connected to the machineor device which is to be driven by the transmission.

When the block 14 is in its lowermost position, or its greatest distancefrom the trunnions 10 of the frame 9,,the longest stroke will beimparted to the clutch-arms 17 but it is apparent that by turning thescrew 12 so as to cause the block to travel up the screw the stroke isshortened. The transmission is thus under perfect control of theoperator, and when the block 14 arrives exactly opposite the trunnions10 or in the center of the frame 9 no motion will be imparted to theclutch arms 17 and the frame 9 merely swung, thus permitting the shaft18 and the sprocket 24 to rest Without stopping the engine or motor towhich the driving-sprocket 2 is connected.

It will be apparent that the clutch-arms and the cylindrical bars 21 arecapable of a slight swinging or rocking movement, and by controllingthis rocking movement the direction of revolution of the disk wheel maybe governed and in this way the transmission reversed. In carrying outthese functions 1 provide on each of the arms 22 ad jaeent theclutch-arms 1.7 supporting-lugs 26, in which rocking rods 27, extendinglongitudinally of the arms, are mounted. Made fast on each of these rodsis a yoke 28, and in the arm adjacent the free ends of the yoke recesses29 are formed. The yokes are disposed so that one end rests in one ofthe recesses and the other stands out of the other recess. hen therocking rod 27 is rocked, the yoke is swung so as to change the relationof its ends and the recesses. For swinging the yokes I provide on thelower end of the rod 27, attached to the yoke of the lower clutclvarm, acrank-arm 30, which projects at an angle and is engaged to the upper endof a clutch-rod 31 the latter having a collar 32 fitting loosely aboutthe shaft 18. Extending upwardly and oppositely from the clutch-rod. 31is a second clutch-rod. 33, also formed with a collar 32. This rod 33engages at its upper end in the end of a con necting-rod 34, supportedin an ear 35 in the upper end of one of the arms 22. This connecting-rod passes across and has pivotal engagement with a crank-arm36, mounted on the upper end of the uppermost rocking rod 27. By movingthe ring portions 32 laterally on the shaft 18 it is apparent that therods 27 will be rocked and the opposite ends of the yokes thrown intoand out of the recesses 29. It will be noted that the yokes are disposedso that when one end or leg of one yoke is in engagement with one of therecesses 29 of one of the clutch-arms 17 the opposite end or leg of theother yoke is in engagement with the opposite recess of the otherclutch-arm 17. By this disposition the flat portions 23 of the bars 21are disposed as shown in Fig. 3, and thus the wheel 20 is caused torevolve with relation to Fig. 3 to the right. WVhen it is desired toimpart a reverse movement to the wheel 20, it is merely necessary toswing the yokes 28 so that their opposite ends engage in the notches 29.This causes the bars 21 to be rocked so that the flat portions occupyreversed positions, or, in other words, still referring to the saidfigure, the flat portion 23 of the lower bar 21 assumes the position ofthe flat portion 23 of the upper bar and the flat portion of the upperbar assumes the position of the flat portion of the lower bar. Therebyas the frame 9 is swung downward the upper clutch-arm merely slides overthe periphery, while the lower clutch-arm through the flattened portion23 imparts motion to the frictiondisk.

Attention is called to the fact that the direction of revolution of thesprocket 24, shaft 18, and disk wheel 20 may be readily and easilyreversed without undue strain on the parts. It is also pointed out thatby means of the screw 12 and the traveling nutblock 14 the speed of thetransmission may be gradually increased or diminished, and thus atransmission of this character has no limitation as to the set number orcharacter of speeds. I have found that my transmission when attached toa motorvehicle greatly improves the same and maintains the vehicle atall times under perfect control of the operator. Also the usual geartroubles, such as noise and the stripping of teeth, are avoided.

WVhat I claim is 1. The combination with a driven member, of anoscillatory frame, connections between said driven member and saidoscillatory frame for imparting motion to said oscillatory frame fromsaid driven member, a screw journaled in said oscillatory frame, a nutengaging said screw, a rotative member, links connected to the nut, andmembers to which said links are connected which are adapted to engagethe outer periphery of the rotative member to impart rotation thereto.

2. The combination with an open rectangular frame, of a rocking framejournaled in said open rectangular frame upon fiXedpivots, a drivenmember, connections between said driven member and said rocking frame, ascrew journaled in the rocking frame, a nut which said screw engages,said screw being adapted when turned to cause the nut to travellongitudinally of the rocking frame, links connected to said nut, arotative member, and members connected to said links adapted to engagethe outer periphery of the rotative member to impart motion thereto ineither direction:

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HARLAND E. WHITE.

l/Vitnesses A. L. PHELPS, M. B. SoHLEY.

